Absorbent polymer compositions, particularly in the form of a foam, are useful in fluid management applications such as medical wound dressings and wound packing materials that absorb human sera. Conventional absorbent polymer foams typically include (1) closed cell foams prepared by introducing gas cells into the polymer by either thermal decomposition of chemical foaming agents or blending of gasses with polymer/hydrocolloid blends, or (2) open cell foams prepared by blending gasses with polymerizing hydrophilic polymers such as polyether-polyurethane pre-polymers. Absorbent foams prepared by method (2) have fast absorbency of human sera but do not retain the fluid upon little or no applied pressure. Absorbent foams prepared by method (1) pose difficult manufacturing issues with respect to maintaining the closed cell structure after extrusion forming due to inadequate cooling and subsequent coalescence and collapse of the closed cell structure that leads to a loss of void space.
Consequently, there is a need to provide foamed hydrocolloids that have sufficient initial uptake of aqueous fluids to facilitate fluid management of low to medium exuding wounds and a facile process for providing a composition having stabilized foam morphology.